What is Drayton's Brigade?

 


Chris Anders of the Liberty Rifles is forming Drayton's Brigade for the 140th Anniversary Reenactment of the Battle of Antietam being held on the Artz Farm 12-15 September 2002. The brigade is being filled with high quality living historians.

The reformed brigade is limited in size to the number of soldiers in the actual brigade at the Battle of Antietam. Four units of the brigade will be reformed. These are the 3d S.C. Batt'n with 24 men of all ranks; the 15th South Carolina Infantry with 84 men of all ranks; the Phillips Georgia Legion Infantry with 51 men of all ranks; and the 51st Georgia Infantry Regiment with 68 men of all ranks. The 50th Georgia of the original brigade is not being recreated because it was detached for duty with Toombs Brigade at the Burnside Bridge.

Current plans consist of brigade participants arriving at the main reenactment site Thursday before 9:00 p.m. After registering, brigade members board shuttles to the St. James School. Participation in the brigade will end after the final reenactment battle on Sunday.

The St. James School was founded in 1842, was host to Jackson's brigade in 1861, and was a field hospital following the Battle of Antietam. The brigade will encamp in a pristine area approximately one mile fom the school. On Friday morning and before marching to the school, rations will be issued. The brigade will do living history for school students for approximately two hours.

Then, the brigade will be formed and march cross country through original road beds and past Confederate trenches constructed during Lee's retreat from Gettysburg. Civilian interaction along the march route will be organized by Laura Harding and Kathleen Musser who organized the civilian effort at Burkittsville. The brigade will arrive at the main reenactment site in the early afternoon.

A battle scenario at the reenactment site themed upon Fox' Gap is planned for Friday evening. The historic brigade suffered fifty percent casualties at Fox's Gap The scenario is planned to continue into the night and is by-invitation-only for campaigners/progressives. After the scenario, the brigade will lay in ranks under arms, sleeping on the field.

Before dawn the brigade will withdraw and perform living history at interpretation points on company level.

Saturday night the brigade will return to St. James Property approximately ¼ mile from the reenacment site. The brigade will be dismissed for the evening, but participants will be required to return to camp by 1:00 a.m. Sunday morning.

The brigade will participate in all public battles, portraying Drayton’s Brigade for the A.P. Hill Scenario.


Drayton's Brigade homepage

3d S.C. Batt'n / 15th S.C.V. / 51st GA / Phillips Legion

Uniform Standards / Registration for Drayton's Brigade / Links


Civilian Adjunct homepage


Last updated 21 July 2002 at 1245 hrs.

This page hosted by Mark (Silas) Tackitt. Email him here.